Across the Rubicon
by Miles Edgeworth
Summary: Aang's head is cloudy. He doesn't recognize where he is, but somehow he's come beyond a great veil that he can't return across. He's crossed the Rubicon, the point of no return, and entered a brave new world right in the middle of a brand new war.


_**Across the Rubicon…**_

_By Iain R. Lewis_

_Disclaimer: My ownership of said products would be, if claimed, a fraudulent brag. … Er… that is to say, I don't own this series, or its characters, but I would love to have a chance to play in this setting. The original characters belong to the fine individuals at Nickelodeon._

**BOOK 1: ICE**

CHAPTER 1: The Great Veil

The girl was fetching water from the sea. With a movement of her foot, flowed in, and then a step forward, flowed out. Then she kicked her foot back, moving the water into the waterskin she carried. She placed the skin down, and picked up another, opened it, and began her dance again.

Her chestnut brown hair bobbed as she moved from step to step. Her eyes, however, remained intent at the water she whisked from the sea into the skins. She didn't seem to mind the chill that colored her cheeks and nose a rosy red.

Back and forth, the ebb and flow carried the icy waters forward, and then when the momentum was right, she kicked back and up it flowed, this time tossing something forward. She leapt back, expecting another chunk of the icebergs that sometimes floated out from the Great Veil. Her footing, however, slipped when her iceberg let out a loud cry of shock.

The iceberg, a boy of about twelve, with arrow tattoos, began to talk excitedly, the water and ice that hung to his body heating up into steam. The girl couldn't even begin to understand.

"Excuse me," she said, incredibly slowly. "Are you a merman?"

He cocked his eye at her. He said, slowly, something in a language she didn't exactly recognize. However, something about the words were beginning to sound strangely familiar.

"I. Don't. Understand. You." She moved her hands around to try and pantomime her meanings. "My. Name. Is. Dessa. What? Is? Your? Name?"

The boy thought for a second, obviously confused, but then, slowly, responded. Then, he pointed to himself, nodding, and said, "Aang."

"Well. Aang." She stopped, "This isn't actually helping you, is it? Oh, you probably think I'm a stupid girl, now, don't you?" She brought her hand to her chest, and breathed, "Aang, I don't understand your language, but I know someone who does."

Aang smiled.

"Do you know where you are?" she pantomimed. He shook his head. "This is the Icelands," she added wryly, "Welcome to the edge of the world."

"Dessa?" Aang asked.

"That's right, I'm Dessa."

He then said something. She couldn't understand it, but it seemed like something of great wisdom. "I don't know what that means," she said, "But thank you for trying."

"Thank you?" he asked, apparently picking up on the word.

"Yes, it means," she tried to explain, "Me, Dessa, am thanking you, Aang, for whatever you tried to say."

He nodded. "Me, Aang, thanking you, Dessa."

* * *

Dessa slung the waterskins over her shoulder and waved for him to follow. Aang eyed the skins cautiously, and agreed to follow her. She led him through the way, into a deep forest. The trees were heavily weighed by snow and ice, and as they walked deeper into the forest, the whiter the forest floor became.

The forest path became nothing but a few stones covered by snow by the time they reached their destination. It was a clearing with an elevated hut built on two thick tree trunks. The hut seemed to breathe and live.

"Wait here," Dessa told him, and hurried inside, climbing the rickety ladder and onto the porch. The door, Dessa knew, wouldn't open for one who didn't know the right magic, so she knocked.

"Come in, child," said the old crone, who opened the door from within. Dessa hefted the waterskins, and walked in.

"Mistress, I have the water, as you ordered."

"And your Icecrafting?"

"It progresses, Mistress," she said. The familiar cold sensation ran down her body, as she felt her body tense.

"The flow of your blood, it quickens," said the crone. "You have more to your story. And you require my help?"

"I realize that I am in no position," Dessa said, quietly. "But it is not for my sake."

"Tell me child, who took you in out of the cold those twelve long years ago?" she asked. "Who raised you, fed you, and asked nothing but for you to run where my old legs will no longer run?"

"You, Mistress Baba Yaga," Dessa said.

"Well, ask me, child. Don't hesitate." The chill passed, and the crone went back to the strange creatures she had running in tiny cages. "Well? I am hard of hearing, girl, so speak up!"

Dessa knew it was a lie, but spoke loudly anyway, "I found a boy."

"A boy, you say." There was a cackle. "And where does this path lead?"

"He was in the water, covered in frost. But he was alive. He just leapt to his feet and he looked like he heated himself, like someone from the Isles. But, he doesn't look like any Islander that I've ever seen."

"What a sordid tale," Baba Yaga moaned. "Get to the point."

"I can't understand a word he says!"

"He must be mad."

"But he came from the Great Veil, and he talked like one of your spells," Dessa said. "So, I thought you could translate."

She reached for her walking staff with quite a speed. "The Great Veil? Child, you jest. He drifted from the Great Veil?"

"That's where I was pulling the water from," Dessa answered. "I don't lie, Mistress. Not to you."

"Where is he? Come on, hurry, child, come on! Take me to him." She moved to the door, bringing her hand up to move it, but the door had already opened. In the doorframe, Aang stood and waved.

"By the Spirits, an Airbender." Baba Yaga put her hand on her chest, steadying herself on her staff as her breathing sped up. "What is your name, boy?"

"Aang," he said. "At least, that's the name I remember. I'm not sure where I am, or, uh, anything else for that matter. Can I come in?"

"Yes, of course. Come in," Baba Yaga looked to Dessa, "Get the boy some food, child. Hurry!" There was an unexpected excitement to Baba Yaga's movements, but Dessa had long since learned not to believe that was a good sign.

"Of course, Mistress." She ran to the kitchen, bumping her head against one of the cages. The albino rabbit-mouse inside sniffed at her. "Sorry, sorry." Aang laughed in a good natured way, and looked about the house. The

"This is a nice home you have," Aang said.

"I thank you, humbly," Baba Yaga said. "The people here call me Baba Yaga. Nasty name, but I wear it with pride." She gave him a big, toothless grin. "It is good to see someone from beyond the Great Veil."

"The Great Veil?" Aang asked.

"Now, it's not much of a conversation if you just repeat all I say." She cackled further. "Where is that girl? The Great Veil is the impenetrable mist to the east. No one has come through it in over one-hundred years."

"Wow!"

"Don't you remember passing it?" Baba Yaga asked. "Perhaps from the Northern Water Tribe?"

"That sounds familiar. Uh, Baba Yaga, uh, ma'am," Aang said. She raised a hand and interrupted him.

"Baggu, please. What is it, Aang?"

"Why does that girl talk so strangely?"

"She speaks the native language of this Westland. I can teach it to you, perhaps? It's similar enough. You seemed to be picking up on it here and there already."

"Strange as it seems, I feel like I already know it."

"That may well be," she said, mysteriously. "Tell me Aang, what do you remember?" She leaned forward on her elbows. "Tell me everything."

"I remember a man. He was dressed like he was important, some kind of Fire Lord. Yes! That's it! He was the Fire Lord. And I was standing before him. He was defeated, and I was about to finish him when… I don't remember what happened next, but I was floating and I saw these icebergs."

"And you thought you were approaching the North Pole? That doesn't surprise me at all. During the winter months, there is a land bridge between the two tundras. While we are closer to the Southwestern point of the Icelands, I traveled many miles to get to where I now live."

She sighed deeply, "So the war is finally over. I came here fleeing the war, you know." Her eyes turned misty. "When I was young, I was one of the most talented benders of the North Pole. Of course, as a woman, my talents remained almost exclusively in healing. But I was great," she smiled. "But when news spread about what happened to the Air Nomads, I grew fearful."

"Yeah, I ran away too, but for different reasons I think," Aang said.

"But I see one survived. You must teach me your secret to eternal youth."

"Well, the first trick is to get frozen in an iceberg," Aang answered.

"Mistress, I have some tea. I thought to use the special blend you keep for guests."

"Very good, child. Young Aang here is going to be studying out language. Perhaps you should teach him."

"Of course, Mistress."

"My servant-girl will be with us as I teach you. Now, repeat these sounds after me."

* * *

"Pleased to meet you, Dessa, my name is Aang," Aang said, carefully. He blushed when he realized how much his accent must affect his tone. The surprised look on Dessa's face only confirmed his suspicions.

"The pleasure's all hers," Baba Yaga cackled. "Your enunciation: it's tone perfect. Perhaps you knew it in a past life!" She rose to her feet. "My back hurts. I think I will draw up a warm bath and go to sleep." Her back cracked as she stood up. Dragging her feet, she bent away another door and closed it behind her.

"So, Dessa! What do you do for fun around here?"

"Uh, I sort the Mistress's books," Dessa said. "They've got some beautiful pictures, very old pictures." She brushed her brown hair away from her eyes.

Aang stared at her for a minute. There was something about those blue eyes and long brown hair, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Aang? Aang, what is it?"

"You look like someone I know," Aang said.

"Oh. Do you remember who?" she asked.

"No," he said. "My head's still all foggy. So, you don't do anything for fun? Aren't there Penguins to ride?"

"Penguins?"

"Yeah? They've got four flippers, waddle around, and they make great toboggans!" Aang hopped up.

"Tobogganing?" she said, betraying her surprise by his sudden new vocabulary. "Well, I don't know about penguins, but I know a great way to toboggan."

"Show me!"

"I don't know if I should," Dessa admitted. "The Mistress doesn't want me to go out after dark." Aang looked to the window. He could see a faded moon in the dark orange eastern sky.

"We've got plenty of time!" Aang said.

"Aang, I'm not so sure –"

"Come on!" he grabbed her by the arm and leapt to the door, bending it open and leaping onto the snow below.

* * *

"This is a bad idea, Aang."

"It's the biggest hill around!" Aang laughed. "It'll be fun!"

Dessa looked down the large hill. It was almost a mountain, and it was steep. The jagged, icy rocks underfoot creaked treacherously. "All right. But, if I kill myself, I'm going to come back and haunt you." She took a deep breath.

Shifting her legs, she brought her arms up in a careful jab. The snow compacted, solidified, turned to ice. The ice-toboggan beneath her, she pushed off, and raced down the hill. She weaved around jutting ice and drifts of snow.

Screaming all the while.

"Way to go, Dessa! You've really got a handle on it!" He looked around, and spun the wind into a scooter, following after. "Whoa!" he cried as he swerved into an icy outcrop. Aang flipped around, blasting wind to fire him straight up into the air.

"Yahoo!" He landed, with a thud, on the ice-toboggan. "Hey, Dessa."

"Aang?" Dessa screeched. "Where did you –"

"Tree."

"Tree? What tree?" The toboggan hit the pine with enough force to knock the snow from their branches. The two riders were thrown into the snow, rolling. Dessa was breathing heavily, while Aang was laughing uproariously. She glared at him, her brown hair falling out over her face.

"That was great!"

"Aang! You, you, you irresponsible little boy!" she screamed. "You could have killed us. I was scared for my life. I was scared for your life. How can you just laugh like that?"

"It was fun?" he answered, standing up straight like a lectured schoolboy. "Don't you ever do things just for fun?"

"Yes. Good, safe, normal things," Dessa said, "Like look at pictures or pray."

"You didn't have fun just now?" he asked.

"Well," her eyes darted to her right. "No. I didn't."

"You're lying!" Aang said. "You had fun! Come on, let's do it again!"

"No. If I'm any later, my Mistress will punish me. She will be upset." Dessa felt her head. "My hat! Where did it go?"

"What do you mean your mistress will 'punish' you? Isn't she like your grandma or something?" Aang asked. Dessa was too busy crafting to notice. She kicked back, the snow moving towards her, then a kick to the left and to the right.

"Where is it?" A fierce kick to the left knocked Aang to the side. "Where? Where? Where?"

"Dessa! Calm down!" Aang cried. "Let me help you find it."

He took a deep breath, stood in a fluid stance and bent his hands backwards. The snow melted and came to his hand. She stared at him. He continued to do this, until he had canvassed the area around the crash. "I think I have it!"

The fur hat was inside a bubble he produced. It looked soaked and ruined. "Oh no," Dessa cried, her blue eyes filling to the brim with tears. "She'll add a thousand years to my service for this."

"She won't even know." He waggled his fingers, grinned, and drew the water from the furs. They looked dry as they had started. "There."

"Oh, that was incredible. You must be a master wizard to do such sorcery." She hugged her hat close. "This is the only memento I have of my parents."

"Oh." Aang said.

"We should get back," Dessa said. "If Baba Yaga sees I am missing, oh, a million years to my service!"

"What does that mean?" Aang asked. Dessa looked at him, her face etched with worry. She could see he was concerned.

"Oh, if I could say, but then a thousand lifetimes to my service," she cried. She looked at him, fiercely. "Don't ask me that again, please. I just pray she does not cheat you into the same trap as she did to me."

* * *

Aang bent the door open, and the hut still seemed empty. The only signs of life were loud snores from above. "She sleeps upstairs, the ladder is the only way up. My room is this way. You can sleep there tonight," Dessa told him.

"Dessa, I couldn't. I mean, I'm a monk and we only just met and all–"

"It's all right. I'll sleep here. Baba Yaga has lots of pillows for her back. I'll just make up a bed from them. You're our guest, and it would be unbecoming for you to sleep on the floor."

Aang blushed, "Oh, right. You'll be sleeping somewhere else."

"Mhm." She pursed her lips, "Did you think I meant something else?" she asked, innocently. Aang's face grew even redder.

"No! Not at all."

"I will be heading to the village tomorrow, for certain," she said. "So I need my sleep. I'm sorry, we don't entertain much here."

"Oh, right," Aang said. "I was just wondering a few things."

"Oh?" Dessa said, with a smile.

"Uh, is this thing built on a chicken-tortoise?"

"What's a chicken-tortoise?"

"Never mind," Aang said. He swore he felt the building move. "And, uh, how did you meet Miss Baggu?"

"The Mistress," Dessa said with a long sigh, "The Mistress raised me from childhood. Ever since I lost my parents, and I owe her my life."

Aang smiled and nodded, "She seems nice."

"You have no idea," Dessa sadly said.

* * *

Aang's sleep was restless. He saw people he knew, and names he could barely remember. Whatever happened to leave him floating in the icy waters seemed like nothing short of a nightmare.

Then he saw Katara's eyes, widening in fear, and he woke with a start.

Looking around, he saw the building shake and buckle. It bobbed up and down like a runner's head. Aang leapt to his feet, his hands thrusting back to bounce himself up with a ball of air.

Nothing happened.

"My bending –" and then a memory came back. He looked at his hands, and saw they were pale blue. He looked to his bed, and saw him there, tattoos glowing brightly. "What's going on?"

"Greetings, Aang."

The old man in the Fire Nation robes said.

"Roku?" Aang said, the name seeming to fit.

"It is good that you remember me," Roku said, "Because you are in grave danger, Aang."

"I am?" Aang asked. "What happened? How did I get here? Where's Katara? And Sokka? And Toph?"

"One question at a time, Aang, I will do what I can to answer you. You were thrown into the western seas after your battle with the Fire Lord. It was an attempt on your life by a zealous supporter of the Firelord."

"So," Aang felt his brain scramble over these new details, "How did I survive?"

"When last you fell into cold waters, you were but an Airbender. As the Avatar, your mastery of the four elements allowed you to survive. However, it took its toll on you, and despite your best efforts, you fell into a deep sleep this past day."

"And then Dessa found me."

"It was a stroke of luck," Roku admitted. "But one I am glad to see happen."

"And the others? They're okay, right?"

"Your friends are fine. But Aang, we must be quick. You are in the serpent's nest as we speak." He extended a hand, "Come, there is something I need to show you."

Aang accepted the hand, and the mighty dragon lifted them high into the night sky.

* * *

The night sky became the light of day over the Northern Water Tribe. "One hundred years ago, some time after your disappearance, the Northern Water Tribe prepared for the coming invasions. The Fire Nation's intent was clear," Roku said, "But they did not prepare themselves for the dangers from within."

The streets were alive with activity. On the canals, a woman looked fiercely at anyone she passed. "That is Baggu, the most renowned healer of the Tribe," Roku explained. "But like many gifted with power, she too became arrogant and corrupt." He shook his head.

"Could she bloodbend?" Aang asked, fearfully.

"Indeed," Roku answered, "And more. But like most waterbenders, she was limited by the phases of the moon, and the waxing and waning of the moon spirit. She was driven to discover a way around this weakness. And she had found one."

"Where is she going?" Aang asked. Baggu of the Northern Water Tribe pushed people from her path as she angrily, fiercely ran down the streets.

"The place of the greatest spiritual power in the entire North Pole, Aang."

"The Spirit Oasis," he murmured. "But why would she go there?"

"Let me show you, Aang." Roku bid his dragon forward, and the scene changed to night. "She waited there until the moon was at its apex, and began to bend the Spirit Oasis's water into the waterskins she brought."

"Those waters, I remember they saved my life once," Aang said.

"Indeed they did, and many others. They hold special qualities, enchanted by the moon and ocean spirit. They can restore someone even from the brink of death. Your friend, Katara, was granted a special boon by the Northern Tribe. Not everyone is considered worthy of its use. But no one had ever attempted what Baggu did that night."

Aang watched as she continued to siphon the waters into water skins. "She's draining the well dry," he exclaimed.

"And she was discovered," Roku finished. "The Chieftan at the time noticed that every night more and more water was being drained, and knew soon whoever was attempting to steal the Spirit Oasis's waters would drain it dry, leaving the Spirits in mortal danger."

The guards stood ready to attack.

"Unfortunately for them, she had stolen more than just the water." As Roku spoke, Aang noticed a vial hanging around her neck. Inside was blood, but it was glowing with a pale blue energy. "She had taken the Moon Spirit's own blood."

As they moved to attack, they found themselves unable to move or control themselves. The glow in the vial intensified. Aang watched as Baggu's mad eyes focused on the well, and then back at the guards.

"Tell your chieftan not to follow me," she warned. She ran, disappearing into the distant tundra.

"She fled across the North Pole for days. She was pursued the whole way by the Northern Tribe. What she had done was a blasphemy," Roku said, "And a crime against the order of things."

"But how did she escape?"

"Unlike your friend Zuko, she had planned. But she did not expect the tenacity of the leader of her own tribe. When he had finally caught up with her she made one desperate maneuver."

The dragon flew across the divide between the Chieftan and Baggu.

"You old fool. If you just listened to me, we could have ended this war before it began."

"I will not trade our very way of life for your mad plans for our survival. Return the Spirit Oasis water, immediately."

Baggu laughed, "You must be tired, my Chieftan. But I am fine. My blood flows with the powers of the Spirit Oasis."

"We will never give up, Baggu. Return at once and your life will be spared. I give you my word."

"You'll never be able to follow me beyond this point. Don't you feel it?"

The Chieftan was unsure what the madwoman was speaking about, but took a step forward. She madly waved her hands and took on a sloppy form of the Octopus stance.

"What Baggu felt was the power of the Northern-most point of the world. It convinced her that she was unbeatable. However, as the fight went on, it became apparent she was not."

True to his words, Baggu's fight slowly wore her thin. She was still holding the ground, but they were getting closer and closer to bridging the gap. She bent the water up into a wall of ice, but the Chieftan bent it into water and threw it towards her. She bent it around her and turned it into ice, sending it as a projectile forward.

The chieftan dodged and ran forward.

"So, left with no other choice," Roku said, "She split the world in half."

"You may have defeated me," she cried, "But I won't let you claim a victory." The snow and ice melted as she bent it. The vial's glow was blinding now. The melted ice and snow became mist, and the mist became thicker and thicker.

Despite the Chieftan's best efforts, he could not move through it. He would always return the way he came.

"This mist spread across the world."

"If this is true, Roku, then why didn't I know about this before?"

"There are many things from ages past that you do not know at first, but you learn as it becomes necessary," Roku said, sagely. "But the world beyond the Veil turned its back on the ways of the spirits long ago. Benders are fewer than on our side of the veil, and there is no belief in the Avatar."

Roku shook his head, "That is why the woman the natives called Baba Yaga has been able to continue doing her vile crimes against the Spirit World."

"I can't believe she stole that blood," Aang said with disgust. "Does she still have it?"

"Indeed she does," Roku said, "And a more valuable prize yet: you, young Avatar."

"Don't worry, Roku. I'll stop her," Aang said, confidently.

"I have full confidence that you shall, Aang. Now, you must return. Find the Moon Spirit's blood, and flee. You are no match for her in your state."

Aang could still feel the fogginess of his memories. "You're probably right. But I can't leave Dessa here."

"How you proceed from here is at your own risk, though I wish I could help you further," Roku said. "Good luck, Aang."

* * *

Aang woke with a start. He could feel his bending return, and the now-familiar fogginess in his head return full force. "I wish I could figure out what he meant by all that. Why is it so hard to remember anything!"

The bounding steps of the house had ceased, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the place breathed like somewhere else he had been. It was someplace foggy – and damp.

"Good morning, Aang," Dessa said cheerfully. "I brought you a nice coat from town. The furs are of the finest quality, made from rabbit-mice, and it was a good bargain."

"Th, thanks. But I don't wear furs – "

"Then how will you stay warm? We are in the deep of winter." She looked sadly at the bundle of furs in her arms. They were died in bright orange and red. "I even found one that matched your clothing."

"Well, I can try it on," Aang said, nervously, "You did go through all that effort." Aang looked contemptuously at the furs. "Sorry about this, little friends," he whispered, and put it on over his head.

He did admit it was nice and comfortable.

"How do you like it, Aang?"

"It's nice," he said.

"You hate it," Dessa concluded. "The Mistress will add a year for every nickel spent on that! Fifty summers!"

"No! That's not what I said," Aang said. He desperately brought his hands out to profess his innocence, "I'm just not used to furs." Or girls, he added mentally. Or meat-eaters like Sokka.

Yeah, Sokka was the meat-and-sarcasm guy! "You know, this reminds me of something."

"It does?"

"Yeah," Aang said. "I think Sokka would really appreciate this. Thank you for finding me a nice souvenir for my friend."

"Your memory's coming back! That's wonderful."

"It's just harder to think," Aang said. "It'll come back in no time, trust me." He looked around. "I didn't see a village here yesterday. Did you already leave and come back?"

"Sure. We traveled there overnight," she said as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

"Okay," Aang said. He'd bite. "How?"

"The house," Dessa answered. "You must have seen the feet. The Mistress commands the house to move whenever we need to be someplace."

"She's a powerful bender," Aang said.

"She terrifies me," Dessa confided, "But don't tell her I said that."

"I won't. Dessa, do you know if Baggu carries a little vial with her? Maybe for spell-casting?" Aang ventured.

"I've never seen a vial of anything in this home," she said. "But whenever she needs to cast a powerful spell, she uses one of her familiars."

"Show me," he said.

* * *

Aang peered at Baba Yaga's familiars. They were all albino creatures, with strange, pale blue eyes. He peered at them, and poked them, carefully. They reacted, healthily, but looked underdeveloped.

"She shouldn't keep them caged," Aang said. "It's cruel."

Dessa agreed wordlessly. "We shouldn't stay long, Aang. If she catches me showing you this, I'll be her servant until the worlds end."

"Girl!" the old crone's voice screeched from above, "My tea! Hurry!"

Dessa yelled up in response, "The water is boiling now, Mistress!"

"They look a little like – Yue!" Aang's face perked up. "Come on little guys, we're going."

"Aang! What are you doing?"

"I'm freeing the moon spirit's essence!" Aang said excitedly.

"But then I'll be –"

"No, you won't. Come with me, Dessa," Aang said. "You won't have to worry about being her slave anymore."

"Dessa! Tea!" the crone screeched.

"Aang, I want to, but she has a spell on me."

"Without these, she shouldn't be able to do anything to you," Aang said. "I promise." He extended a hand, and said, "Help me?"

She turned her face away. "I can't, Aang. I wish I could. I would like nothing more, truly. But I can't."

"But," Aang said.

"I'll take up her tea," she said. Then, with a conspiratorial wink, "Don't do anything like release these animals while I'm upstairs."

"Dessa," he muttered.

"Don't!" she warned, and climbed the ladder. "Here is your tea, Mistress."

Aang looked at the animals. "So, what do I do?"

A baby husky-bull snorted at him. It was the closest he was going to get to an answer from any of them.

* * *

The cloud of snow that was fast approaching the village was assumed to be another one of the crone's wicked spells. When a young boy with weird tattoos emerged from the small storm, carrying a small menagerie of albino animals on his back, they just assumed it was another one of her servants. 

Then he yelled, "Incoming crazy chicken-tortoise hut coming through!"

The hut was, indeed, moving at a surprising pace towards the village. And it looked quite angry. There was a mad cackle from the hut's door. "Run, run as fast as you can, but rest assured, I will catch you!"

"Nuh-uh!" Aang yelled.

"I don't think you know who precisely you're dealing with," Baba Yaga screeched. "Now return those animals before you ruin everything!"

Aang leapt to the top of a building, "Well, you'll have to catch me first!" He stuck out his tongue and dashed across the rooftops. "Why are these things so steep?" he wondered. An incoming blast of water, which then slid down to the streets below, answered the question for him.

Baba Yaga looked angry.

"Dessa, go! I command you, capture that boy."

"I, I don't wish to, Mistress."

"It is a good thing, then," she sneered in response, "That you have no choice. Go, or I swear, even the world's ending will not break my hold on you!"

"Yes, Mistress," Dessa sighed resignedly. "I'm so sorry, Aang." She climbed down the ladder and landed in the snow-covered streets below. Shifting her stance, she kicked the snow up into the air and with a quick jab sent it up with enough force to knock some of the tiling away.

"Whoa! What was that for?" Aang said, skidding to a stop. "Dessa!"

"Aang!" She continued kicking up snow to throw, "I'm sorry."

"Me too," he answered. He moved his hands back, turning the snow to water and throwing it down towards Dessa like one extended whip. She barely dodged it in time, and retaliated by turning it to ice with a backwards motion of her hand.

Aang took one look at the ice lance, and took off in a dash along the side of the buildings. He only looked behind him to see where she stood. One second she was standing behind him, a good thousand feet, and the next she was sliding across the ground on a ramp of ice.

He picked up his pace.

Dessa flipped off her ramp, spinning around , ice sprouting beneath her. She twirled launching a new ramp afterwards at a faster speed.

Aang looked back to see where she was, and found himself grasped between her legs. "You're really fast."

"So are you," Dessa answered, smiling. "But this time I caught up."

"Never seen Waterbending like that before." She twisted him around, bring him to face the ground. Eyes wide, Aang took in a deep breath, and blew himself back up into the air. "Dessa, you don't have to do this. She can't make you do anything."

"You haven't been under that spell of hers," Dessa answered. "That feeling of helplessness as your body moves on its own, like a puppet."

"I know what that is," Aang said. "But she can't do that without these!" He showed her the cages.

The creatures inside hopped about anxiously. Dessa raised her eyebrow, "You're joking. They're just animals."

"Except that they have moon spirit power!" Aang spun around. The air pushed Dessa back, placing the two across from each other. Dessa looked tired. "Where I come from, they call that 'spell,' bloodbending. It can only be done when the moon is full and waterbending is at its strongest."

Dessa heaved with each breath.

"No," she said, "I can't."

"Okay," Aang said, "Then I'm really sorry." He bent water from the snow and shot it at Dessa with a fluid motion of his arm. She brought her arms up to defend, but to her surprise, the water froze as it made contact.

"Let me go!" she cried. She struggled with the ice wrapped around her arms. "Aang, please!"

"Sorry!"

"I didn't want to have to do this. Sorry, Aang." She kicked her feet back, and the snow drifted up towards her. With a single kick, she sent a large snowball rolling right at him.

Aang leapt up into the air, landing on the ball and ran on it. "I'm not going to get used to this anytime soon." He looked where he was rolling, staring directly at Baba Yaga's hut. "Oh! Thanks Dessa!"

"Oh, no! Mistress, I didn't mean to—oh, my existence is servitude now!"

* * *

Baba Yaga's door swung open with a mighty sound.

"Baggu!" Aang yelled. "Release Dessa right now!"

The door slammed shut, with a cold, foreboding sound.

"You demand an old woman 'release' the girl she raised since she was only barely walking, the girl who provides her mistress so much comfort in her old age? I welcomed you to my home! You betrayed my hospitality, boy. You won't get very far in these lands if you don't follow their traditions."

Aang's eyes narrowed, "You stole from the Spirit Oasis!"

Baba Yaga cackled. "So, it is true. You are the Avatar. Yes, I did. And it's given me a long, full life. Also, it's a wonder for plants."

The hut's walls lurched forward, tree-branches and ferns striking. Baba Yaga moved her hands in concert with the plants. "Whoa!" Aang shot a blast of fire from his foot. He landed in a shaky dokuritsu shiki. "What is this place?"

"It's a little garden, really. I bent all of it to grow like this," she explained, proudly. "I was a genius bender, you know. The only thing I lacked was the divinity. I was so close, I could have revived your people. I was so close, I could have turned back death!"

"Lady, you're nuts!"

"And you're a hundred and twelve years old," she snorted. "So, Avatar, I'm willing to bet that you're a bit rusty. It sure looks like it's only your lifetimes that are keeping you from falling flat on your back with that firebending stance."

Aang tried to bluff, "Oh, I'm the Avatar all right. You just try and fight me."

"Oh. Okay." Baba Yaga threw her hands forward, the hut shaking to the side ever so slightly. Aang fell to hut's floor. The floor bent, spilling him further down. He rolled to his feet as quickly as he could.

"Okay, fighting in here is a bad idea," Aang realized. "I wonder if I can bend the water too? He stood up and let his body flow, trying to find an attunement to the plants. He pushed the water through the branches and ferns.

"What is going on?" he heard her yell. She peeked down at Aang.

The house lurched to the side sharply. Baba Yaga took a tumble as it the hut buckled. "I'm going to destroy this hut if you don't release Dessa now."

Baba Yaga hefted her body back. "I've learned from the years," she bragged. "You'll never take control of my own home from me!"

He felt the control of the water start to drain from his arms, but renewed his efforts. "I'm the Avatar."

"We existed over a hundred years without you!" She bent the water forward. "If it weren't for people like you, who preach about the balance between the spirits who have all the power and the people who just borrow it, we would have never been in a war in the first place!"

"That's not right!" Aang protested.

"Then where were you when we needed you?"

The house righted itself. She cackled in victory. Aang head sagged in defeat.

"Now return my familiars to me!" she demanded. Aang shook his head. "You still refuse?"

"Release Dessa."

"You keep saying that," she said, leering. "Give me a reason."

"Uh, because I asked so nicely?" he said with a bright grin. Baba Yaga laughed into an uproar.

"You really are a fool!" She thrust her hands forward, and held her hands out, trying to play puppeteer. Aang's body tensed up. "And now, you are finished."

"Wait! I have a reason!" Aang said. He took a deep breath, "Don't you feel the slightest bit bad about what you're doing to her."

"Not really." She shrugged, "My heart's as frozen as the tundra."

"Ah, er," he fumbled.

"Now, let's see if your blood holds the same power as the Moon Spirit."

Outside, Dessa shook the ice from her and looked at the shifting and movement of the old hut. She stopped herself barely from asking what exactly was happening in there aloud, instead running to reach the ladder.

It swung violently from side to side before it stopped. It settled, and she grabbed the rungs and climbed up. She rapped her fist against the doorway, and announced, "It is I, Mistress."

"Not now!" the crone screeched from inside.

"But Mistress, there's something I think you should know about."

The door opened, "What is it, girl?"

"The Mountainshapers are coming."

* * *

The expedition to reinforce the Icelands forces seemed boring, routine, and more than anything else, safe. Prince Wilhelm lay his head on his hand as the carriage moved forward on the shaping of his driver.

"Tell me," Wilhelm said, "What is it here that the locals can't deal with without a military hand?"

"Well, sir," said his driver, "They say that there's an old witch in these regions. She's a powerful sort, too. People have gone missing and this old Baba Yaga has been blamed."

"Icelands superstitions," he sniffed.

"Well, they say her house walks, and that she can control the moon's ebb and flow. The Icecrafters claim that she uses a magic unknown to them, but no one knows for sure. She's been sighted in the vicinity, according to General Fedor's report."

"How dreadfully boring," Wilhelm said. "This isn't what I signed up for."

"Uh, sir. I believe your tour is about to get a bit more exciting." The driver brought the carriage to a halt.

"Is that a moving hut?" Wilhelm asked. "Well, hurry up. Let's go show these simpletons what the advanced magic of the Mountain Empire can do."

The driver brought his hands to ready, and with a careful slicing chop, propelled the carriage forward.

_- - - - - - - - - - - -_

_Author's Notes:_

_Ice-crafting is the Western equivalent of Waterbending, but unlike the flowing style of the Poles, it's based on Russian Sambo. Nowhere near as pretty and fluid as Tai Chi, but the style has evolved to be somewhat slower and ore defensive._

_For those who don't know who Baba Yaga is, it's some interesting reading material and you may find what you learn surprising. I think she fits well into the Avatar world._

_Also, oooh, cliff-hanger-y. How will these threads resolve? … I would assume so Aang would win, but really, not even I know for certain!_


End file.
